Up Cripple Creek

This past Friday my mom decided to hurl herself down the garage stairs resulting in a compound fracture to ius both her left tibia and fibula.  To those out there not as steeped in bones as I am, those are your two lower leg bones.  Anyway, it was quite a horror to see my mom lying on the garage floor with her leg at a very awkward angle, and blood slightly oozing from the small puncture wound where one of those bones was trying to burst through the skin on the front of her leg.  Yeah, it was totally gruesome!  Thank god the bone hadn't come any further through the skin or I might have lost it.  I'm pretty good at dealing with such matters, as I've had traumatic injuries myself, but there is something about large bones through skin that kind of makes my stomach do flips...and not in a good way.  Anyway, it was all excitement around here with the emergency responders, ambulance, my dad and I doing our best to keep mom under control during the whole ordeal.  Luckily Piper slept through most of the commotion, cause she's a angel!

My broken yet beautiful mom!

Yesterday my mom got to come home from the hospital, yay!  For those of you who may not know, once I decided to have a child on my own I moved back in with my parents.  The decision to do so was based on a mutual want and need between the three of us, with compromises made on all sides.  We all gave up some of our space and privacy, but we all gained a little bundle of joy in return.  My parents get to spend their golden years spoiling their last grandchild, and I get the financial stability of not having to pay rent, which saves me a ton of money that goes directly into raising Piper.  I also have the emotional support of being around my two best friends (yes my parents and I are that close) all the time.  We are a very lucky clan in that we get along so well.  It really is a win-win situation for all of us.

Part of living together is helping one another out in times of need.  Friday was definitely one of those days where we all relied heavily on each other.  My dad sat in the garage with mom, holding her leg until the ambulance arrived, I ran around calling 911 and packing my mom's hospital bags, and Piper the little angel helped us all by snoozing away so we could focus on getting my mom taken care of.  My mom was terribly worried about missing any Piper moments while in the hospital.  She was rambling crazy things like "how will she remember me?" and "I'm going to miss all her smiling and cooing."  Obviously the pain of the broken leg was getting to my mom as she was only going to the hospital for a few days and not to prison on murder charges!  Me being the awesome daughter that I am, however, took heed of her distraught words.

Once my mom was out of surgery and into a room, I began sending her pics and videos of Piper.  I couldn't take Piper to visit her, because hospitals are just not safe for the frail immune systems of babies, so the least I could do was use modern technology and keep her in the loop as to Piper's progression as a baby genius.  And now I'm to the point of writing this blog entry, to share with all of you the videos I made for my mom while she was incarcerated in the sick house.  I know, that was a really long winded way of going about showing you all some videos, but surely you have all discovered by now how sidetracked and long-winded I can be at times, so I'll shut-up now...enjoy!

This first video is of Piper enjoying her mobile.  She absolutely loves the dang thing and just gives the biggest grins (and some coos once in awhile) while watching it spin in circles.  This is the best of the videos I made of her mobile time.  Yes, I am going to refrain from showing you all the videos I made.  You can thank me later for that one.  By the way, she was about to have her diaper changed, so please excuse the not so great ending...oops!

She loves the mobile!

This next video is Piper playing on her play mat.  This is the first time she acknowledges the elephant toy.  She's a deep thinker, so it's her contemplation of the elephant that really grabs me in this video.  I wonder what exactly goes through a month-old baby's mind.

Elephants are wise, so I approve of this friendship!

The next two videos are both of Piper playing with her bunny rattle.  This bunny rattle has been hanging out in the corner of her crib from day one.  I know, no toys are supposed to be in the crib! Yeah, whatever!  Anyway, as I was about to change her diaper yesterday she, for the first time ever, zoned in on her bunny rattle and initiated play.  What is so surprising in these videos is not only the amount of concentration she puts into her play, but the simple fact she can manipulate the rattle the way she does.  I know I call her a genius, but I cannot help it when she does something that is so advanced for a one-month-old.  Typically, babies do not start actually manipulating rattles or other such toys till around 3 months of age.  For her to be doing this at one month is just flat out remarkable.  Her focus, determination, grip, everything you are about to witness is way advanced.  I took a pile of child development courses as part of my Psychology minor, one of which was Development in Infancy, so I'm not just pulling this knowledge out of my butt.  I do have textbooks that speak to these milestones and about when they should occur.  So far she has exceeded all milestones.  Yep, I'm one of those moms other people hate...a damn baby braggart!  I apologize now for my ridiculous overjoy regarding my child, it will probably only get worse.  Anyway, here are the videos!

She shouldn't be able to grab it like that yet!

She's very aware that she is in control here!

I could continue on posting videos, but these four were my favorites and I don't want to go overboard.  Plus,  it would be better for me to not post all my videos at once so as to avoid the whole been-there-seen-that mentality that might follow.  Your welcome!

I guess I should also tell everyone how my first Mother's Day went.  I missed having my mom around, but Piper and I spent the day together just doing what we do.  It was nothing too special, but I couldn't imagine anything better.  Having my long awaited daughter in my arms was enough specialness for me.  My dad also picked me some flowers and gave me a card, because he is the greatest dad ever, but nothing can top quality time with Piper.

Now for picture time!  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the past few days.

Fresh from her bath

Her mobile makes her happy!

Go mobile!

Oooohhh, elephant!

Deep thinking

Conversing with a pachyderm 

Who could resist that smile?

Cuddle bug!

The Thinker

Boobies!

Showing off her muscles!

I love all these pics, especially the smiley ones.  Piper's smile just lights up her entire body and completely melts my heart, especially when it is directed at me.  I guess I'll ahead and wrap things up for now.  Until next time, here is the ole shebang...

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Three Week Old Genius

Had to start this entry with a cute snore video!

I have officially become one of those moms who think, no knows, her baby is smarter and more good looking than all the other babies on the planet.  This must be an ingrained response to motherhood that keeps women overly attached to their offspring, but it's one I now totally support and unabashedly adhere to.  But seriously, my baby is smarter and prettier than everyone elses!  And I'll prove it!

First off, she breastfeeds like a champ!  More like a teenage male virgin who just got to second base for the first time, but you get my drift.  This girl loves her some boobies!  She has just this week come up with a very sly way of getting them whenever she wants.  It seems her nuzzling skills are unsurpassed as every time I hold her now she slowly, and without me really noticing, manages to worm her way sideways in my arms, face first into her best friend the right breast, and then begins to bob her head back and forth like a woodpecker trying to get a headache right on my clothed nipple.  It's hysterical to watch since she is so damn enthusiastic about going for the goods.  My parents say she acts just like I did when it came to the boobs as a wee-one.  As a matter of fact, my mom had to stop breast feeding me because I learned how to unbotton her blouse at way too early of an age, I believe somewhere around 9 months, I jest not!

She's also smart enough to guard her food!

Secondly, she already knows how to smile and make cooing noises.  The smiling is said to be involuntary in a newborn.  I agreed with this at first, but not now.  As of this week she has begun smiling with her eyes as well as her whole body at times.  She loves the first look we share with each other early in the morning or right after naps or nursing.  This is when her best smiles come.  She also gives those huge grins to anyone she sees for the first time in a day.  I just know she knows how to win us all over and melt to her will, genius I say!  As for the cooing noises, those shouldn't be happening yet, but they are.  They are not regular, but I get several  a day, often when she's giving me that first whole-body grin of the day.

Smiles from head to toe!

Since this entry is being posted a week after initial writing, I should update that her cooing has become more frequent along with her smiles. She gets especially active when having her diaper changed now. She just loves to coo and smile at her mobile as it spins round. She just keeps getting smarter and smarter every second of every day.  Okay, back to last week's writing...

Her next big genius sign, she can stand already!  The story goes that I could stand the day my parents brought me home from the hospital.  I'm not talking about just springing up on two legs like a miracle baby, but with a little assistance, like a couple of fingers under the armpits.  And yes, my little overly smart child has also accomplished this task.  She's been putting weight on her legs since I got her home, but now she is fully an independent stander.  I was giving her a bath today and she insisted on standing up while being dressed afterwards.  I then removed my fingers from holding her, leaving only the crook of my hand between index and thumb for her to rest her armpits on, and BAM! She stayed upright!  And she already has learned the wiggle side-to-side while standing dance I've been practicing with her.  Now she initiates the dance herself, demanding playtime of the most genius kind.  And boy does she like to smile while doing all of this miraculous standing!

Wish the sound had recorded better...oh well!

Now let me back up to her days in the hospital.  I taught her to use a pacifier in 15 minutes flat!  She at first just let it role right out of her mouth, but within just a short time she was holding it and sucking on it without assistance.  How many 1 day olds do you know that learned this skill in 15 minutes?  Don't lie, you don't know any!  ;-p

Okay, what next?  She already sleeps through the night.  That's right, she sleeps through the night!  Take that all you moms with little ones who are constantly keeping you awake at night...I jest!  But seriously, she started sleeping through the night a few days into her third week, and I know this is a privileged rarity and I thank my lucky stars for it every day. Now this might upset some of you, but one of the major secrets to her championship sleeping is that I'm of the tummy sleeping camp. Yes, I know all about SIDS, but from all the research I've encountered, the back to sleep campaign is all a bunch of rubbish in my eyes. How can one say that sleeping on the back reduces SIDS when knows not what causes SIDS?  Wailing babies who can't sleep, flat heads, exhausted parents with constantly waking children....I'll pass!  I also use a crib bumper and let her have a blanket, does that make me a horrible mom?  No!  It makes me an independent thinker at worst. I'm one to trust in my maternal instincts, and so far so good.  I'll stick with my own methods, for they seem to work for us.  Like everything out there, to each their own.  All I know is that Piper is extremely happy and healthy, who am I to take that away from her?  And who can resist that cute little baby bum sticking up in the air while she naps?  Just too adorable!  But regardless of her sleeping position, a three week old who sleeps through the night is still pretty remarkable.

Nothing cuter than a baby bum in the air!

Now that I have sufficiently alienated all the back sleeping families out there, let us move on and speak of Piper's beauty. Well there really is not much to say in regards to proving her loveliness. This is where the old saying "a picture says a thousand words" comes in handy. Her pictures speak for themselves, although I do not think they do her justice. Her beauty cannot fully be captured by my amateur picture taking skills. But here are some beauty shots just the same.

Like a living doll in her sailor dress!

So sweet while napping on her Nana!

Her "Put the food in the piehole" face!

Look at dem scrumptious cheeks!

She's a looker!

As you can tell from her pics, she's definitely a beauty!  I only say this because that is what everyone who has met her tells us.  I'm just simply going with crowd response on this one...and maybe a bit of new mom pride, too.  Regardless, you have to admit that she's not repulsive to the eyes.  As a matter of fact, I could stare at her all day.

I think I have sufficiently covered Piper's amazing genius and extraordinary beauty.  I may be a bit of a braggart, but mainly it all stems from overwhelming love for the most amazing thing I will ever accomplish in my life.  I'm so astoundingly happy and feel like jumping and shouting from the rooftops with giddy silliness over this little miracle that is now forever part of me and my life.  Things just can't get any better than this.  And to wrap all this gushy-ness up, I'll leave you all with another cute snore video.

Sounds like a baby owl!

Now if you would, please click the button below and throw a vote our way on Top Baby Blogs.  Also, come join us on Facebook where you can get daily updates on Piper's expanding brain and glowing beauty! You can also follow us on Twitter @SingleModernMom, on Pinterest, and on Youtube.

The Amazing Thing About Breasts

Piper's first latch, right out of the womb!

One thing I was determined to accomplish once Piper arrived was breastfeeding.  Over the years I have heard many a horror story (along with many positive stories too, I might add) regarding breastfeeding.  I've heard reasons for not doing it that covered just about every scenario...milk not coming in, it was too painful, inverted nipples, baby couldn't latch, boobs were too big and smothered the baby, boobs were too small, didn't want boobs to sag later, etc, etc.  Regardless of the reason and/or the dramatic story behind each, I never once considered not breastfeeding as an option.  The stories I always focused on were the positive ones...the way the baby looks at you with absolute love while nursing, the strong bond formed during breastfeeding, it helps you lose weight and tightens everything back up, the nutritional value cannot be beat nor store bought, it gives all the necessary immunizations to your baby, it makes your boobs bigger, etc, etc. Regardless if one has had a positive or negative experience when trying to breastfeed, in the end we all know it is best for baby.  That right there was my absolute deciding factor in the matter.

She was a natural from the get-go!

Even though breastfeeding is the most natural thing on the planet, there seems to be a great issue with babies not being able to figure things out.  Properly latching onto the nipple seems to be the biggest issue.
After a hospital birth, if you decide to breastfeed, you now have a lactation consultant who comes in to help you get the ball rolling, so to speak.  I have to admit that my inner idea of such a consultant fell more along the lines of angry Catholic nun.  I imagined a stern woman with a bad attitude that would rap my knuckles with a ruler and tell me I'm doing it wrong at every turn.  I'm not Catholic, so of course this imagery was implanted into my brain via Hollywood.  Nonetheless, this is the type of individual I imagined the lactation consultant to be.  Boy was I wrong!

It's such a natural thing!

Sharon, my lactation consultant, was an absolute delight.  When she first popped her head into my hospital room I was like oh no, here it comes (eye roll).  But I was way too quick to judge and immediately my attitude changed once we started talking.  She didn't talk down to me and tell me how I was doing everything wrong, like I expected.  Instead she was very positive, telling me what I was doing right, while offering up information on new techniques that the experts on breastfeeding were currently recommending.  I didn't feel looked down upon, threatened, shy, confused, frustrated, none of those awful emotions.  I felt encouraged, positive I could succeed, enlightened, and relaxed.  I was sure when she asked me to whip out my boobs and get naked from the waist up that I would feel uncomfy at best.  Instead it felt oh so natural.  As a matter of fact, I haven't once encountered feeling uncomfortable whipping out my boobs for nursing.  I have never been the type of girl who liked to walk around in just a bra or has felt comfortable even dressing/undressing in front of other women.  But the whole breastfeeding thing has changed my view on how I feel about showing some boobage when necessary...they are just breasts, after all.  It may be that they are such exquisite breasts right now, with all their fullness, so that could possibly contribute to my not caring who sees them.  I am not saying I would go down to the local pub and whip them out for all to see, I'm not that comfy yet!  However, I don't feel it necessary to run off to another room if needing to nurse Piper while I have company.  They can turn their heads to avoid the immediate onslaught of boobage in the room, but that is their choice and not mine to make.

She sleeps so soundly after a good meal!

Anyway, where was I?

Back to the consultation.  The new idea regarding breastfeeding, one that I was already familiar with, was the skin-to-skin method of nursing and bonding with your new baby.  Basically, it requires both the baby and yourself to be naked (except for the diaper).  You place the wee one on your bare chest and let let them root around for your nipple.  The baby will take it upon themselves to try and find where to go for milk.  Of course you can help them along, but they hold a natural instinct for survival.  The skin-on-skin contact helps not only bond you to your child, it also acts to increase the baby's blood sugar, bonus!  There are many other benefits you can check out by going here.

I mean seriously zonked after eating!

While practicing this method for the consultant, she also shared with me how to massage my own breasts and express my own milk.  This can be very helpful if your child is not latching as easily as Piper did.  The baby's stomach is the size of a marble at birth, so it only takes a little bit of colostrum (first milk) to make a meal.  Basically, if you can express just a few drops of colostrum onto a teaspoon and feed your baby from that, you are essentially offering up enough to sustain your baby until they begin to latch naturally.  This was very useful information.  Although Piper was latching without a hitch, the notion of how little she needed and how I could go about getting it to her if we had issues, well it just set my mind at ease.

She's such a good eater!

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience with the lactation consultant.  She checked on me throughout my hospital stay to make sure Piper and I weren't having any major problems and that we kept on the right track.  The encouragement she gave really bolstered my breastfeeding confidence, which came in very handy during my second and third day home when my milk came in and my breasts engorged so much I had to pump 10 oz of milk before Piper could latch again.  That was a frustrating couple of days when I knew Piper was crying because she was hungry, and I knew my boobs were too big and hard for her to nurse.  Luckily a friend had given me a pump, and after expressing 5 ozs out of each boob, they finally softened up enough that Piper could once again nurse properly.  Had I not had the encouragement of my consultant, I might have given up out of frustration.  But her support, along with my families support, pushed me into being rational and not freaking the hell out thinking I was going to starve Piper and be a complete failure as a mom!  Yes, even I felt this way and broke down into tears those first couple of days at home.  But once we got back into our routine, I realized how silly I was behaving by freaking out.  Hindsight is 20/20, right?

Showing me where the food goes!

I am so glad I pushed through those difficult days and stuck to my guns.  In the end, I absolutely love breastfeeding.  I look forward to every session, even the 5am ones.  There is nothing quite like it, and nothing makes me feel closer to Piper.  It's our special bonding time.  Even if there are other people in the room, we are still very much focused on each other...even when we both zonk out and wake up 30 minutes or so later completely snoozed on one another.

Definitely a cherished moment!

Another cool thing about the breastfeeding experience is watching how a baby plays with their food.  Piper loves to torment my nipples, I call it making them her bitch, and boy does she have some interesting techniques.  Each day it seems she learns a new one, and they absolutely crack me up.  I am contemplating filming her in action and posting the videos here.  I'm not sure if people would be offended by them, though.  I see it as just another baby nursing video, but show a little nipple on the net and some people might get bent out of shape!  I'll mull it over for a bit and make up my mind before publishing.  I would love to also catch her grunting like a pig whilst eating.  That is a new thing she has just started doing over the past couple of days, and it is also hysterical!

Okay, managed to make a vid that doesn't show any nipple!  I just adore the soothing sounds Piper makes when nursing, it's just sounds so satisfying.

I am a very lucky mom in that Piper nurses easily.  She took to the nipple the moment she was born and continues to love meal time!  She is now eating every three hours like clockwork.  Normally she will eat r about 10 minutes per breast during each session.  She tends to be a bit of a lazy eater in that I often have to jiggle her back from snoozeland while she nurses.  By the end of most sessions she is soundly sleeping, well at least until I have to burp her.  She will also use nursing as a way to soothe herself whenever she gets upset.  I like to call these very short, intermittent sessions "snack" times.  They usually last less than 5 minutes and are now getting more rare, but she still needs them once in awhile.

Happy baby!

Speaking of snack sessions, today I wrapped her up in the K'tan and we went for a walk around the house to admire the flowers.  She had just finished eating right before our mini adventure.  However, once she got outside she decided she need a "snack" session.  I'm not sure why she all of a sudden wanted to nurse languidly during our walk-about, but it was too cute.  And it was her first time dining al fresco, a pastime that I thoroughly enjoy...maybe it's genetic.

Couldn't you just gobble her up?

On that note, I think I'll wrap things up here before Piper wakes up for her next meal.  Better to be safe than sorry and I want to get this published before midnight since I'm already a day behind my self-imposed schedule.  As always, I hope you enjoyed this entry and will continue to come back.  Now that Piper is here I plan on posting a lot more, especially now that I am beginning to slightly adjust to this whole new mommy thing.  I may backslide at some point, but I'm going to do my best to keep on top of things!

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Until next time, sleep peacefully!